The Halloween Party

Richard had returned with their drinks. "Hey, did I hear my name mentioned."

Jennifer said, "You did. I was saying how good you are at bringing in the money."

He handed Jennifer her drink and then with his free hand reached down and grabbed her mostly exposed butt while giving her a tonsil inspecting kiss.

Abbey said, "Bye guys," grabbed Hank's hand and pulled the stunned man away.

When they were a few feet away. Hank said, "Abbey, I'm sorry, but I don't think I can stay any longer tonight, or I'll end the night in jail."

"I know. I'm sorry you had to see that, but that was why I wanted you to come tonight. You needed to know. Come with me while I grab my clutch."

Hank escorted her back to the table they had been using, where she grabbed her tiny purse and said, "Okay, let's go."

He didn't need to be told twice. Once in his SUV, the weight of the night finally sank in on him. He finally knew. Knowledge. His wife, a whore. His marriage, gone. His life plans, crushed. Besides Tina & Philip, his only other friend in town, leaving. He didn't want to let loose the rage that he was feeling, but keeping those feelings suppressed meant that he also struggled to keep his tears in check. He was a wreck.

"Hank? Would you like for me to drive?"

"What? No. But thank you. I'll be fine. What about your car?"

"I expected that I was leaving with my date, so I used an Uber. Where you go, I go."

He smiled at that, cranked the vehicle and began to drive. He hadn't heard that phrase in a long time. "Don't let my mother hear you say that."

"Say what?"

"'Where you go, I go.' It's from Ruth, in the bible. Whether you knew that or not, she'd love to hear someone close to me say that. I get the feeling Jennifer thinks it is the other way around."

Another angel got its wings at that moment, because when she looked at him, she said, "Well, for tonight, you don't have a choice. I'm not leaving you alone. I'll handcuff you to me if I have to."

"Promise? I'll bet there are fifty men back at that party that would pay a lot of money to be handcuffed to you for the night."

She replied, "that may be so, but tonight I only want to be handcuffed to you."

Damn. Was that an invitation? He didn't need that tonight, but he did need and appreciate her friendship. "Won't your boyfriend object? I heard several of your coworkers mention a boyfriend, even one mentioned a silver tongue."

Now that the mask was off, she leaned over and kissed him on his cheek.

"For someone so wickedly smart, you can be kind of slow sometimes. I only told everyone I had a boyfriend leading up to tonight's party. There is no boyfriend, except for you. There is no one else, and that was a golden tongue that was mentioned, not a silver one. I was just repeating to everyone what Jennifer told us, which was that you have a golden tongue."

"She said that?"

"And a lot more. She's going to be crushed when you are gone."

"She should have thought of that earlier. What makes you think I'm leaving her?"

"Except for when we were dancing, you were like a piece of iron all night long. You've been working through your head what you are going to do. After that video and what you heard tonight, I'd faint if you told me you are staying together."

He paused a minute. "I almost don't need to hear whatever I'm going to be told, or shown, tomorrow night. About the only thing he can do, assuming it is a he, is give me pictures or video."

"That's your choice to make. Just know that I'm going with you. I may not sit with you while you talk to him, but I'll be there with you."

"Thanks, Abbey. What would I have done without you?"

"Worried yourself sick, and always wondered what the truth was."

She was right, and he knew it.

"Let's go to my apartment. I had packed a bag earlier, but I'm fairly certain that I didn't pack enough. I'm vacating my apartment...tonight. Will you help me pack my things?"

"Of course."

They quickly made it back to his apartment where he pulled all the luggage he had, and they began packing all his clothes away. From their home office, he grabbed important documents like his passport, marriage license (for the divorce) and backup hard drive. He quickly logged on and changed the master password to their password manager, so she would have to go to the bank to move money around. He would beat her to the bank in the morning. It took less than thirty minutes to collect most of his life and put it in his SUV. Something about that realization was rather sad in his mind.

He took one last look around, and with the closing of the frontdoor, he closed the door on that portion of his life.

___________________

As they pulled away from his apartment complex, Abigail asked, "Where are you going?"

"I guess to a hotel for now. After tonight, I'll look into something longer term."

"Nope. Tonight, you are coming back to my place. I told you that I would handcuff you to me if I had to."

"Abbey, I appreciate the offer, but I think I just need a little time to digest all of this."

She replied, "I know you do, and I'll give you your space, I promise, but I don't want you to be completely alone. No arguments. Let's get through tonight, and then we can think about everything else tomorrow."

He wasn't going to fight her on this. He was too drained, and she had been very good to him, and for him, so far.

She put her address into the GPS on his phone and put it into his car mount. It didn't take long until they were getting close to the West Lake Hills area near Austin, where old homes start at a half-million and it would be easy, depending on the location and the view, to quickly climb to five million.

A few more turns and they turned into the driveway of a nice medium sized home with a stone façade. Abigail tapped her phone and the garage door (one of three) opened. "Go ahead and pull all the way in."

Once inside, he could see that she had a Honda CR-V SUV and Honda Accord for her vehicles.

Hank grabbed his overnight bag from the back and turned to walk with her into her house. Once inside she said, "Well, welcome, to my home. Forgive the boxes. I've been prepping for the move for weeks. The movers come in on Tuesday."

That reminded him that he was going to be losing her soon, too. She saw the look on his face and was pleased, no, thrilled that he considered himself that close to her to feel that way.

She approached him and gave him a long hug. "I promised I would tell you about it. Let's get changed, and I'll make you something to eat that I know you like. Follow me and I'll show you your room."

"Okay." He began to follow her through her beautiful house. As they approached the stairs, he said, "Oh, Abbey."

"Yes?"

"Before you change and I forget, you really do look incredible tonight. Until the Wilcox parties, I was never really big on Halloween parties. But seeing you, dressed like that; If I could have a Halloween wish, it would be to see you dressed like that every Halloween. You truly do look amazing."

The simper on her face as she turned and walked towards him, was more like a lioness slowly approaching her kill. She had been teasing and stroking his ego all night, because she wanted him to know that even though his wife was taking him for granted, she wasn't. Now, he was here, in her home, with her in that dress that she bought just for him, and she was going to get at least a little payment for the evening...and maybe make a little down-payment on the future.

When she reached him, she said, "I've received a lot of compliments in my life. Most of them from men that I loathed or in which I had no interest. Most were poorly worded and tied to something crass about my body. I've never wanted a compliment from anyone as much as I wanted that one from you. You have just made my night. Thank you."

She was still wearing her heels, so it didn't take much to pull him into a kiss on the lips. Hank started to pull away, and she said, "Nope. Nope. You owe me this kiss because you were wearing that mask all night long. There is no mask in the way now, and I would be rather flattered if you embarrassed yourself in front of me right now like you did earlier."

She molded herself to him and resumed her kiss, which was soft on the lips, again, with just a little tongue. Hank was caught off guard. He liked Abbey, tremendously, but after discovering what he now knew about his wife, he wasn't really in the mood for passion with another woman. But, damn, she did have the softest and most wonderful lips he had ever felt.

She kissed his neck again, several more times, then said, "Thank you." Turning back towards the stairs, when she reached the first step, she stopped and turned to him.

"Oh, Johnnie," she purred. "Would you help me with the zipper on this dress. It was easy to get up but can be tough to undo."

Not thinking much of the request, because he did this for his wife all the time and was still a little stunned from the kiss, he stepped forward to assist. As soon as it was completely unzipped, she let it drop to the floor and resumed her sashay upstairs. "Would you be a dear and bring the dress with you, please?"

Um. Wow!

He quickly picked up the dress and, from below, watched her gorgeous ass sway up the steps in her black, lacy, strapless bra, miniscule thong, and garter belt with stockings. Damn. It was a lip-smacking and iron-bar erection producing sight.

Acting as if her standing there in her underwear were no big deal, she said, "Here's your room. I'll meet you in the kitchen, after I remove this body paint which will take a few minutes. It wouldn't take nearly as long with your help, but I don't want to push you into something for which you aren't ready. Grab a beer from the fridge while you wait." She kissed him again on the lips and walked towards her bedroom.

My God! What Hank really wanted to do was follow her into her bedroom, throw her on the bed and have his way with her. She didn't even bother to close the door!

He knew that he shouldn't. He really liked Abbey and she deserved someone that was truly interested in her, not just interested in sex with her. It was an invitation almost too tempting to pass up...but he did.

So, he quickly entered his room, also not bothering to close the door, carefully hung his Halloween suit, and then changed into some comfortable jeans and a t-shirt, not bothering with socks or shoes and returned downstairs.

Once back in the magnificent kitchen, he opened the large stainless-steel fridge to see a six pack of Corona Light along with some cut lime in a bowl covered with film. His favorite. Clearly, she had expected his coming and had prepared. He wondered how much Jennifer had shared about him over the years. Apparently, whatever she shared, Abbey had been listening, but why?

While waiting for Abbey, he strolled around the downstairs. It wasn't a huge house, but it was very nice. He could tell by the Arhaus furniture, which he had seen when he and Jennifer had shopped, that she had very nice, but not super expensive taste. The white walls and exposed wood beams were gorgeous. Every opening, whether window or door, had a rounded top. All the little details, from the crystal nic-nacs to the expertly framed artwork spoke of someone with style and taste. Looking out the windows across her patio, into the distance, was a beautiful view of very nice homes illuminated at night.

He heard her come downstairs and turned to meet her in the kitchen. She had changed into a pair of nice cotton pjs. When she saw him, he was smiling at her, and she returned the favor.

He asked, "Can I fix you one? Would you prefer it in the bottle or a glass?"

"Bottle is fine, with lime, please. A little birdie told me you like what I'm about to prepare, and so do I, so have a seat and keep me company."

At the moment, that sounded like an enjoyable task.

While she prepared their food, he asked her about her house and the usual details about length of stay, niceties of the neighborhood, etc. After a few minutes, she put out two plates with two slices of toast topped by thick slices of cheddar and mozzarella cheese, on which sat two over easy eggs and a generous serving of guacamole. It was true, this was one of his favorite weekend evening meals.

"Et voila. Avocado toast a la Abigail."

"I'm touched that you remembered what she told you. Thank you, this looks scrumptious."

She replied, "You're welcome, but not quite as scrumptious as you."

There she goes again. He said, "you know, I'm supposed to be grieving the loss of my marriage, but if you keep doing stuff like this," pointing to the toast, "and saying stuff like that, I get the feeling that I might enjoy this kind of grieving."

"Well, good. That was the idea, anyway."

She picked up his hand and said, "Seriously, Hank. I cannot make the hurt go away, but I don't want you to be lonely. I know all about being lonely. I can handle being alone. I'm used to it, but being lonely is the worst. After what you've gone through recently, I'll bet you know all about being lonely."

This caused Hank to pause, because it was true. He was so reticent to share his emotions or troubles with anyone, that he only shared them with Jennifer. After the last several months of their bickering and being away from each other, he hadn't felt connected to anyone close to him in a long time. It was exactly as she described. Even when he wasn't by himself, he felt terribly lonely.

"Thanks, Abbey. I'm not the kind of guy to gush out my thoughts or feelings, so if I don't show my appreciation, please forgive me. I do appreciate your being here for me right now. It means more than you know."

"It's my pleasure. You deserve someone you can lean on right now, so I'm appointing myself your temporary cane."

He laughed out loud at that comment, because he thought the imagery was cute. He did appreciate her, though.

"So, tell me about your upcoming move."

She could tell he was in better spirits currently versus when he mentioned it earlier, so now was as good a time as any. "I'm moving to Dallas next week. Gail, the previous department manager, moved there when she was let go. She didn't perform poorly. Unlike the previous manager and Richard, she wasn't willing to entice the clients with extracurricular 'talent' to land the deal. She is very smart and very efficient. She had an impossible standard against which she was being measured. She used to be a little too die-hard in her feminism, but I enjoyed working with her.

"She's now a VP at an investment bank consulting company in Dallas. I spoke to her several weeks back about needing a change, and she offered me a position.

"I already have a house not too far from my office. My mother lives in Plano, just outside of Dallas, and it's where I received my undergraduate degree. I guess you could say, I'm going home."

Hank said, "You never told me Dallas was your home. Did you go to SMU?"

"I did. Full ride. Then went on to get my MBA here at UT, Austin."

He said, "I grew up just south of Dallas, near a little town called Waxahachie."

"I know."

"To drive from here to Dallas, you have to go almost right by my parent's place."

"I know."

"Did you know that earlier this year, my company offered me a new position in their Dallas office? Jennifer told me to turn it down because she wasn't leaving Austin. Her mother and father live here and are well connected."

"Yep. I know all that, too."

"Is there anything you don't know?"

"Yes. I don't know if that position for you in Dallas is still open."

Damn. She did it again. He started to reply, but when he opened his mouth, nothing came out.

She continued, "Hank, even if nothing happens with you and me, I'm sure your parents would love for you to be closer. You know all about Dallas, so I suspect you would be comfortable there. Everything you own is sitting in your SUV. Is there anything keeping you here? Your job? Friends? Family?"

She had nailed it. Based on what he heard tonight, he knew at some point in time Jennifer was going to try to get him back, but he wasn't interested. He could never trust her again after she had been so duplicitous. Putting some distance between the two of them sounded nice, and being less than an hour from his parent's house sounded lovely, too. It had been too long since he'd had a Sunday lunch with his parents.

"Well, I know I can't stay here for very long." He smiled at her and thought for a moment, "And as you so eloquently put it, most of my worldly possessions are currently residing inside your garage, so at the very least I need to find somewhere to live. However, before I can do that, I guess I need to find out about that job in Dallas. If it is still open, my mother will love you forever."

Even though she tried to hide it, Abbey was excited. She had hoped he would respond this way. She wanted him to get that job in Dallas; desperately.

He told her, "If you cannot tell by how I'm enjoying every bite, this avocado toast is really, really good."

"Thank you. I'm a decent cook, but I'd like to get better."

"Well, if I wind up in Dallas, I'll treat us to a cooking class that we can take together. Like you, I can cook a little, but I'd like to do more."

"Really? You aren't just teasing me, are you?"

"I could think of numerous, enjoyable ways to tease you, but I'm not at the moment."

She fought back the urge to jump across the table and tackle him. She was playing the long game, so she shouldn't rush anything now. Tonight had gone well, so no need to spook him more than she guessed she already had.

"I hope you get that job."

"Me too."

They cleaned up the kitchen together, picked up two more beers and retired to the den to watch a little TV together before bed. He told her, "I like your chair-and-a-half with ottoman. I used to have one in grad school. Jennifer got rid of it when we moved here because she didn't think it was refined. It was perfect for two people that were close to each other. It was a damn comfortable chair."

Abbey hopped into the chair and patted the space next to her for him to sit. "Well, come give this one a try. I bought it specifically because it was comfortable."

He laughed at her enthusiasm and sat next to her, handing her the remote. It was a large chair, but they were rather tight next to each other. She politely wiggled her way around until she was comfortable sitting next to him. He asked, "I can sit on the couch. I don't mind."

"No. Please don't. I know it seems like I'm throwing myself at you, and I'm sorry for that, but I've really enjoyed your company over the last year or so. If you don't mind, could you please do me one favor. Please hold me for a while. Even if it doesn't mean anything, just pretend that I mean something to you and hold me. I could really use that for a little while tonight."

He would not deny her that. She had been so helpful to him. The invitation for the party arrived in the mail a month ago, so he knew she had been planning this for weeks, during the middle of her move to another city. There had been a lot of thought and effort put into this evening. He would be happy to hold such a beautiful woman that helped to remove the blinders from his eyes.

"Sure, Abbey. I'd be happy to, and it does mean something to me. You mean something to me. Thank you for tonight. You've been wonderful."

Again, she reached up and kissed him on the lips, briefly. She set the alarm on her phone for early, because she needed to get in and out of her office before everyone got in. She also wanted him to get in and ask about that position ASAP.

She grabbed a throw from the couch and planned to get comfortable snuggling next to Hank. He didn't know it yet, but she hoped they didn't move from that spot until morning.